1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic supply apparatus and an automatic supply method for extracting one supply target member from a plurality of supply target members and supplying the one supply target member.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been used various automatic supply devices for extracting one supply target member from a plurality of supply target members and supplying the one supply target member.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-291435 has disclosed a disposal facility for core members of a circular belt. In this disposal facility, by a single-supply apparatus, one core member is picked up from a plurality of core members hanged on hangers and arranged side by side and is delivered to a hook, and the hook are fed by a belt feed and the core member is conveyed to the following step.
Also used is an automatic supply apparatus for rigid rod members. Referring to FIGS. 20A to 20D, the automatic supply apparatus includes a tray 81 with a longitudinal direction and a width direction. An extraction groove 82 extends in the longitudinal direction at one side end portion with respect to the width direction in the upper surface of the bottom wall of the tray 81. The length and width of the extraction groove 82 are about the same as the length and width of a rod member 84. Further, a wall 83 at one side end portion of the tray 81 is openable and closeable. Referring to FIG. 20A, in this automatic supply apparatus, a plurality of rod members 84 are placed flat and arranged side by side in the width direction of the tray 81 and so stocked, on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the tray 81. Referring to FIG. 20B, as indicated by an arrow S1 therein, when the tray 81 is rotated and the extraction groove 82 side of the tray 81 is moved downward, the plurality of rod members 84 are moved toward the extraction groove 82, and the rod member 84 at one end side portion is guided into the extraction groove 82 and the whole one rod member 84 is contained in the extraction groove 82. Referring to FIG. 20C, as indicated by an arrow S2 therein, when the tray 81 is rotated and the extraction groove 82 side of the tray 81 is moved upward, the rod members 84 other than the rod member 84 contained in the extraction groove 82 are moved from the extraction groove 82 side to the opposite side, and the one rod member 84 is separated from the other rod members 84. Further, referring to FIG. 20D, as indicated by an arrow O therein, the wall 83 at the one side end portion of the tray 81 is opened, and so the rod member 84 contained in the extraction groove 82 is released to the outside of the tray 81 as indicated by an arrow D in FIG. 20D. Thus, the one rod member 84 is extracted.